Today’s youngest generation is being exposed to largely unrestricted internet access.
These children can be found in booster seats, pressing their fingers to screens, glued to gaming apps advertised to their age group. This generation is commonly referred to on the internet as “iPad kids.”
“Trying to control my kid’s technology is a new chapter in life. None of the other generations had to deal with it,” Laguna parent Tayla Engel said. “Nobody knows what’s going to happen with this generation when they are older.”
“iPad kids” is a term used by many members of Generation Z (b. 1997 and 2010) to refer to members of Generation Alpha (b. 2011 and 2024), who are visibly addicted to their screens.
iPad kids have become an internet meme, being criticized on social media platforms for their short attention spans and minimal social interactions with their families.
While the sight of a nine-year-old wholly absorbed in a Candy Crush or Crossy Road level at the dinner table may be easy to laugh at, there are many concerns about the detrimental effects of raising an entire generation by putting iPads in front of their faces.
Many of these criticisms are brought up by Gen Z-ers, who compare their upbringings to that of Gen Alpha.
“Gen Alpha is growing up in the era of YouTubers and TikTokers,” senior Sasha Drucker said, comparing herself to her younger sister. “And because they are consuming so many videos, they are growing up faster than we ever were.”
Growing up addicted to screens impacts typical childhood experiences and forces children to conform to the pressures of growing up faster. Still, it decreases their literacy, social skills, and attention spans.
According to NPR’s Debbie Elliott, last year’s reports from the National Center for Education Statistics show that reading and math scores among 13-year-olds in the U.S. have fallen to their lowest levels in decades.
While some argue that these statistics have nothing to do with the upward trend of raising children on iPads, it is hard to avoid the common knowledge that spending more time on screens does affect attention spans.
The shorter the videos and the more thrilling the content, the less willing children are to choose reading or doodling over YouTube shorts.
“I was definitely a parent that always had two fully charged iPads ready to go when I left the house. It was the only way I could get the boys to sit down and sit still in public,” Engel said.
Imaginative levels are also affected by this surge in screen usage.
In 2015, The New York Times published an article referring to digital addiction in children and how kids are losing their ability to entertain themselves without iPads.
The imagination is an incredibly vital factor in one’s childhood. It allows kids to develop creativity, build character, and find innovative solutions independently.
Gen Alpha will not have the proper skill sets to enter adulthood successfully if there is a decline in imagination.
Nevertheless, it is essential to acknowledge the positives of modern-day technology, including learning tools and programs benefiting young children not around during Gen Z’s childhood.
However, it can still be challenging to monitor every aspect of the internet that a child has access to without 24/7 parental supervision.
Considering that this is the age of the internet, completely restricting a child from all technology would only set them behind.
However, there should be limits.
“iPads can be good in limited amounts, for education and other purposes; the issue comes when kids have unbridled access to technology,” Sasha said.
Saving the screens until they are relevant to a child’s development is beneficial to maintaining a healthy and happy childhood.